WUSD faces $750,000 shortfall

Teachers and staff in the Willits School District may face the harsh reality of layoffs next year as the school board wrangled with the difficult task of closing a $750,000 budget shortfall.

During its regular meeting Wednesday night, the board approved a preliminary round of budget reductions that included the potential layoffs of as many as 10 teachers and an unspecified number of classified staff.

Other savings could come from the relocation of the district office and allowing an open clerk position in the district office to go unfilled.

Board members expressed concern over the final item in the proposal, the elimination of 50 percent of yard supervision staff and agreed after discussion with Superintendent Debbie Pearson to look for savings elsewhere through program consolidations.

"We've had many sleepless nights knowing we have to lay off teachers," Trustee Saprina Rodriguez said.

Declining enrollment and declining revenues has forced the district into deficit spending since 2007.